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Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards (GBOMA) 2026
Past event
About This Event
The Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards (GBOMA), founded by Gwendolyn Brooks and presented annually by Guild Literary Complex, celebrates outstanding original poetry by Illinois writers. Finalists selected by guest judge I.S. Jones will perform their work live for a chance to win a $500 audience prize, publication in RHINO Poetry, and an invitation to read at the Evanston Writers Workshop’s 2026 conference.
**BUY TICKETS HERE: **https://epiphanychi.com/events/gwendolyn-brooks-open-mic-awards-gboma-2026-finals/
Date: Thursday, October 1st, 2026
Doors: 5:00 PM
Showtime: 7:00 PM
At Cha**se House
2026 GBOMA Finalists
Dywaine Betts Jr
John Franklin Dandridge
Sylvia Ewing*
Lotus Fulton
Gregorio Gomez
Thomas Gossett
Samina Hadi-Tabassum*
David Mathews
David Orr*
Hilesh Patel
Sandra Santiago
Suzie Torres
Kira Tucker
Sooahn Yang
Miranda Barfuss
E’mon Lauren
About the Venue
Guild Literary Complex
The Guild Literary Complex is a 35-year-old grassroots literary arts organization creating performance-based events in and around the Chicagoland area. We partner and collaborate with other community groups on social and restorative justice issues, providing arts and advocacy programming for marginalized voices.
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